Protective head gear and helmets have been used in a wide variety of applications and across a number of industries including sports, athletics, construction, mining, military defense, and others, to prevent damage to a users head and brain. Damage and injury to a user can be prevented or reduced by preventing hard objects or sharp objects from directly contacting the user's head, and also from absorbing, distributing, or otherwise managing energy of the impact.
This disclosure provides a system and method for providing a helmet or protective head gear that includes an outer shell and an inner energy-absorbing layer, such as foam, that can be used for a cyclist, football player, hockey player, baseball player, lacrosse player, polo player, climber, auto racer, motorcycle rider, motocross racer, skier, snowboarder or other snow or water athlete, sky diver or any other athlete in a sport, or construction worker or person in a dangerous work environment or other person who is in need of protective head gear.
Bicycle helmets or cycling helmets are often formed as in-molded helmets. An in-molded helmet is one in which the outer shell of the helmet is bonded directly to the expanding foam (i.e. expanded polystyrene (EPS)) as it is expanding such that the foam is molded in the shell. Helmets that are not in-molded can be referred to as hard-shell helmets and include skate bucket helmets, motorcycle helmets, snow sport helmets, football helmets, batting helmets, catcher's helmets, and hockey helmets. FIG. 1A shows a hard-shell helmet 10 that might be used as a skate bucket helmet, such as for BMX riding and racing. An example of a hard-shell helmet 10 includes the Bell Segment helmet. Hard-shell helmet 10 would typically include comprise a hard outer shell 12, an impact liner 14, and a comfort liner 16.
The hard outer shell 12 can be formed of plastic such as Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The outer shell 12 is typically made hard enough to resist impacts and punctures, and to meet the related safety testing standards, while being flexible enough to deform slightly during impacts to absorb energy through deformation, thereby contributing to energy management.
An impact liner or energy-absorbing layer 14 is often disposed inside and adjacent to the hard outer shell 12. The energy-absorbing layer 14 can be made of plastic, polymer, foam, or other suitable energy-absorbing material that can flexibly deform with the hard outer shell 12 to absorb energy and to contribute to energy management without breaking. The energy-absorbing layer 14 can be one or more layers of expanded polypropylene (EPP). EPP can be advantageously used as an energy-absorbing and energy attenuating material that is flexible and is able to withstand multiple impacts without being crushed or cracking. To the contrary, EPS and expanded polyurethane (EPU) will absorb energy from an impact by being crushed or cracking. As such, EPS can be less effective or incapable of safely providing effective energy management to a user for multiple impacts, and is typically avoided for hard shell helmets or flexible helmets. The impact liner 14 is permanently coupled to the hard outer shell 12 with an adhesive or glue.
A comfort liner or fit liner 16 can be disposed inside a hard outer shell 12 and impact liner 14, while being disposed adjacent the impact liner. The comfort liner 16 can be made of textiles, plastic, foam, or other suitable material, such as polyester. The comfort liner 16 can be formed of one or more pads of material that can be joined together, or formed as discrete components, that are coupled to hard shell helmet 10. The comfort liner 16 can be releasably or permanently coupled to the impact liner 14 using snaps, hook and loop fasteners, adhesives, or other suitable materials. As such, comfort liner 16 can provide a cushion and improved fit for the wearer of hard shell helmet 10.
FIG. 1B shows an example of an in-molded bicycle or cycling helmet 20. The in-molded helmet 20 can comprise a thin outer shell 22, an impact liner or energy-absorbing layer 24, and a comfort liner or fit liner 26.
Thin outer shell 22 that can be formed of a plastic, resin, fiberglass, or other suitable material such as stamped polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Outer shell 22 can provide a material in which impact liner 24 can be in-molded, can provide a smooth aerodynamic finish, and can provide a decorative finish for improved aesthetics.
An impact liner or energy-absorbing layer 24 can be disposed inside and adjacent the outer shell 22. The energy-absorbing layer 24 can be made of plastic, polymer, foam, or other suitable energy-absorbing material to absorb energy and to contribute to energy management for protecting a wearer during impact. The energy-absorbing layer 24 can be an in-molded layer of EPS that will absorb energy from an impact by being crushed or cracking. The impact liner 24 can be permanently coupled to the outer shell 22 with an adhesive or glue. A comfort liner or fit liner 26 can be disposed inside the outer shell 22 and the impact liner 24, while being disposed adjacent the impact liner. The comfort liner 26 can be made of textiles, plastic, foam, or other suitable material, such as polyester. The comfort liner 26 can be formed of one or more pads of material that can be joined together, or formed as discrete components, that are coupled to the in-molded helmet 20. The comfort liner 26 can be releasably or permanently attached to the impact liner 24 using snaps, hook and loop fasteners, adhesives, or other suitable materials. As such, the comfort liner 26 can provide a cushion and improved fit for the wearer of the in-molded helmet 20.